Franchise Focus


The best exchange


CeX, the gadget lover’s dream franchise, offers a high return on investment


INVESTMENT LEVEL: FROM £40,000 A


rmed with a product range made up exclusively of electronics and digital entertainment products, CeX (the Complete entertainment


eXchange) have successfully modernised the traditional buy and sell concept of used and unwanted goods. Where similar outfits would have once traded books, CeX buy, sell and exchange mobile phones, games, DVDs, computers and other entertainment devices directly from and to the public. Started by a group of self-confessed


gadget geeks in 1992, enthusiasm and experience have driven the brand to the top of the board for technological know- how. For the experts at CeX, quality is


paramount, and second-hand doesn’t have to mean sub-standard. All goods are thoroughly tested before they are brought in, and then resold to customers with a 12-month warranty. Also at the heart of the CeX philosophy


is simplicity. A straightforward idea, executed without fuss, is a key requirement for a profitable business – as CeX successfully demonstrates in its carefully considered product range and overall business strategy. Stores sell products at the market price, and increase or reduce the price depending on customer demand. The CeX website, webuy.com, is


equally clear in principle and design, and supports stores with live pricing and stock levels. Frank Orchard, franchise manager,


18 | Businessfranchise.com | September 2013


explains: “What makes CeX unique is that we are a consumer demand-driven business. We don’t push products into the market or tell consumers what we think they need. Our customers are our suppliers as well as consumers. Every product that we stock is recycled, so we are not dictated to by external forces that could affect the sustainability of the business.” It is a mark of a truly enterprising


business that CeX has not only done well in spite of the recession, but because of it. The used-goods market experienced a surge during the economic downturn, and is still thriving. Plus, as the pace of technology quickens and electronic goods are abandoned in favour of newer models,


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